Securing your canoe with Tie-down utility straps is easy to do and probably the safest way to do so. The first thing you will need to do is, purchase three straps. They should be about one inch wide and probably come with about 15 feet of strapping. You can pick them up at about any hardware store or auto parts store. They range in pricing from $10 to $40 depending on the size and quality. They are great straps once you learn how to use them properly, but they can be rather tricky at first.
Now that you have your straps and I assume a canoe, position the canoe on your vehicle the same way you normally would. Some of you may find this a little strange, but I have been doing it for years with no problems on a number of different vehicles. I open both of the passenger doors of my SUV, or if you have a two door vehicle, the two main doors. I’m guessing that you have a helper with you, so hand them one end of the strap through the inside of the vehicle and then have them meet you on top of the vehicle. Take the straps over top of the canoe and interlock the two hooks together over the center of the canoe if possible. Take up the slack and begin to tighten the strap down. I know what your thinking, yes the doors will still close and not damage your strap. Once the strap is tight and secure, shut both doors. The first step is done!
Next, go to the front of the vehicle and attach one end of your second strap to the canoe and the other end to either the bumper or some other solid part of the vehicle. By solid I don’t mean plastic or rubber bumpers! You may need to go under the front of the vehicle to the frame. Take out the slack and tighten until it is taut. Do the same to the rear of the vehicle. Again, depending on what your vehicle has for bumpers, you may need to attach to the frame. (Note: you may also want to fold up a towel or use some other type of padding over any part of your vehicle in which the hooks, or the clamping ratchet comes into contact with a painted or scratch able area to prevent damage from occurring.)
Finally with the help of your assistant once again, begin to slowly ratchet down both the front and rear of the vehicle at the same time. Do not over tighten! These straps can be very strong and may cause damage to your vehicle or the canoe if over tightened. Make sure you only tighten them up to the point at which they will serve the purpose of holding the boat in place. The combination of the three straps should hold your canoe in place during any trip you may need to take. As I said earlier, I have used this technique for years and I travel for a minimum of two hours on highways where the speeds can sometimes reach seventy-five miles an hour, where legally posted of course, and I have experienced no problems what so ever.
So give this method a shot next time your looking to travel with your canoe. It’s a whole lot quicker and easier than tying all those tricky knots that never seem to hold.
